Earlier this spring, Stacy Creamer was the subject of a CPTC profile. She noted that one of her goals for 2009 was to qualify for the World Masters Duathlon Championships. Six months later, not only has she qualified, but last weekend in Concord, North Carolina, she took home the bronze medal in her age group. Also completing the duathlon, taking fourth in her age group (W60-64) and finishing in under three hours, was Judith Tripp.

Stacy finished as the top American behind two Canadians, despite having struggled since June with an Achilles’ tendon injury that limited her ability to train for the running segments. Here’s her description of the course: “The epicenter of the race—the location of the start, finish, and transition—was in Lowe’s Motor Speedway, a real NASCAR race-track. The 10K run course consisted of two 5K loops in and around the stadium. The 40K bike leg was a very hilly, twisting 20K course that we also did twice. The final 5K run was on the same lap that we’d run twice for the 10K. The one really cool thing about having the race there was that each bike loop included a lap of that banked NASCAR track. You really build up speed, even on two wheels!”

Stacy also reports on how she managed to overcome her Achilles’ injury and continue training throughout the summer:

“Other than Stuart and Kieran, the home team that constantly supports and encourages me—and puts up with my crazy training schedule—I’m indebted to three people who helped me make it to the starting line in the best shape possible.

Mikael Hanson: After I took third at Nationals, my friend Mikael told me that he thought if I worked on my cycling, I’d have a chance at making the podium at Worlds. It seemed very unlikely. Assuming I could again place third among my countrywomen, wouldn’t I have to beat everyone else in the world? But I figured I had nothing to lose, so at Mikael’s suggestion I joined a triathlon team—Full Throttle Endurance—and started riding with them twice a week in Central Park. Mikael is a personal trainer and coach so I started working with him on the bike once a week, too.

Dr. Rob DeStefano: I tore my Achilles’ tendon at the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon at the end of June. I limped for weeks afterward and was unable to run at all, let alone train properly. I started seeing “Dr. Rob”—the author of Muscle Medicine, a book my company published in September—twice a week. Dr. Rob is a chiropractor who practices a method called A.R.T.—Active Release Techniques. I never would have made it to the starting line without his help. (I also have to thank him for talking me out of racing the Central Park Triathlon, which probably would have put me out of Worlds.)

Chris Griffin: Chris is a champion cyclist and spin class instructor at Equinox, where his tough, hour-long sessions are infamous. When I was too injured to run, I could still spin and Chris helped me stay in fighting shape despite my injury. In the final stretch leading up to my big race, I followed him around town; I once took classes with him eight out of nine days. (On my day “off,” I took a class with my other favorite spin instructor, Peter Ferrara.) To all those runners out there sidelined by injury and to those older age-groupers who may not be able to withstand the kind of speedwork regimens they’ve handled in the past: I cannot recommend spin class highly enough. With the right instructor you can get your heart rate up as high as you want it and come close to duplicating the effects of real track work—without the consequent wear and tear on your body.”